sterilizing bottles... how often?

Dorelle - posted on 11/27/2009
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12 moms have responded
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How often do we need to sterilize the bottles? After each wash or a couple of times a week? How long should we let the bottles sit in boiling water? And, until the baby is how old do we need to sterilize?

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Renee - posted on 11/28/2009

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I did the sterilizing with every wash for my first daughter for the first year. With my second daughter I did a lot of reading ( there are 11 years between them!) to refamiliarize myself with the baby dos and don'ts as they change so often. Everything I read said to sterilize before first use and then after that it was fine to just wash them in the dishwasher or with warm soapy water. I have read and believe in the idea that it is not a good idea to over sanitize. It is good to keep things clean for you baby of course, but some will also tell you that using too many things that "kill germs" and creating a germ free environment for your child can keep them from developing necessary antibodies to fight off those germs naturally when exposed to them elsewhere. Everyone has to do what they feel is right for them and their children, just something else for you to consider/ read up on.

After every use, wash with soapy water then sterilize. I did this with my son until he was about 4 months then I stopped sterilizing. Medela makes a great sterilizing bag that you use in the microwave; so much easier than boiling.

After EVERY use you wash each bottle, teat and cap with warm soapy water and also steralise (either in a big pot of boiling water or a steraliser machine). When the baby is 12 months old it is safe to just put the bottles in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Hi Dorelle. I looked up the information in my bottles care instructions. We put ours through the dishwasher most of the time. This is sufficient for sterilizing. If you do not have a dishwasher then once a week. Check your brands care instructions. I use Dr. Browns and they say not to boil the nipples after the first initial sterilization. The recommend boiling the water then places your bottles in for 3 minutes. As long as the bottles are not sitting with old milk in them for periods of time then this should be fine. I rinse all parts of the bottles or soak them in a bowl if I am not using the dishwasher. Good Luck and enjoy your little one :)Bonnie

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Cindy - posted on 11/30/2009

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I sterilize my bottles after every use. I rinse them with hot and soapy water then boil them in a large pot for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes I let them air dry on the counter on a clean towel. I would at least do this until the baby is 2 month old- after that their imune system is alot stronger. That's why they recommend giving powdered formula to your baby only after he is 2 months old - as per Health Unit.

I did the sterilizing with every wash for my first daughter for the first year. With my second daughter I did a lot of reading ( there are 11 years between them!) to refamiliarize myself with the baby dos and don'ts as they change so often. Everything I read said to sterilize before first use and then after that it was fine to just wash them in the dishwasher or with warm soapy water. I have read and believe in the idea that it is not a good idea to over sanitize. It is good to keep things clean for you baby of course, but some will also tell you that using too many things that "kill germs" and creating a germ free environment for your child can keep them from developing necessary antibodies to fight off those germs naturally when exposed to them elsewhere. Everyone has to do what they feel is right for them and their children, just something else for you to consider/ read up on.

I totally agree! I boiled the bottles when I first opened them but her ped said I didn't need to do this after the first time unless we had well water. Allison is 9 months old and isn't a sickly baby and I just wash the bottles with hot soapy water.

Here's what i found on Babycenter.com. And I heard that this is true. I always sterilized my other two kids bottles after every wash until they were 1 yr and then no more bottles. I sterilized my almost new 3 month old baby bottles until last week after reading this.

Do I need to sterilize the bottles?Before you first use new bottles, nipples, and rings, you should sterilize them by submerging them in a pot of boiling water for at least five minutes. Then allow them to dry on a clean towel. After that, a good cleaning in hot, soapy water, or a cycle through the dishwasher is sufficient. One caveat: If you have well water, repeated sterilization of the bottles may be best.

You can find some handy bottle gear, such as dishwasher baskets for nipples, rings, and bottle caps, and special bottle drying racks, at most baby supply stores.

hi, i don't know what you are "supposed" to do... but I'll say that my daughter turned out just fine and I hardly ever sterilized the bottles. I did maybe 3 times in the year she used them. You can put them thru the dishwasher and that sterilizes them but i didn't have one so I just washed them w really hot water and soap.

bottles need to be washed with warm soapy water then steralized after each use by either boiling them in water for five minutes or by soaking them in steralizing fluid or by using one of the many pieces of steralizing equipment that are for sale. i have always used the microwave steamers for all my childrens bottles and found them to be really easy to use and convenient. warm milk in bottles is such a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria and babies immune systems are not up to fighting them. just washing will not remove them which is why you need to get rid of any unused milk after two hour aswell.

Every time they are washed they need to be sterilized. 5mins in boiling water should be enough. They need to be sterilized until 1 year. So do dummies (though check the packaging for the best way to do this. And boiling their drinking water until 1 year too.

hi u are ment to sterilize the bottles after each use u are ment to wash them with warm soapy water then rinse of the soap and then sterilize and i think your supposed to do this till they are a year old xx